Deerfield Lopi Pellet Stove Self servicing..?

[HLHomm1969]

Hi everyone!
I’m new to the forum, I own a Deerfield Lopi pellet stove. I live on the east end of Long Island, and took the plunging and got my first pellet stove. After having it and used for a little over a year. It seems to be one of my biggest regrets! A money pit just like a boat!
I am looking to see if there’s any videos out there that could help me with the annual maintenance and repairs. I have searched on YouTube and all they have is the basic weekly and monthly maintenance. The place that I purchased the stove from is 42 miles away and charges $495 to come out and do a service and then $195 per hour.
Already with one year and a month of use, I believe the igniter already is not working on the stove. And they were going to charge an additional $95 to come back out with the part where they couldn’t have it in stock on the truck for real? Besides after the nightmare of installation and the attitude of this company, personally, I would never want to use them again or recommend them. And after contacting the Lopi company directly, I’m sorry I bought their product.
I’ve seen many repairs and servicing done on other pellet stoves on YouTube, but Lopi Deerfield is definitely a very lacking with DIY information. I basically done the monthly cleaning on the stove every week to make sure everything would be working as optimum as possible.
Any further information would be a great help!
I’m sorry I sound so negative, but this whole experience has definitely put a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[Sh86]

I have the same one and also am on Long Island. The thing has something wrong with it every year. I am also pretty sour about this product. I’ve had mine for 3 years now and prob put 12 pallets through it and I’ve had 3 or 4 issues and now I have another one.

 

[Manly]

Your experience with your pellet stove seems to be a not so uncommon situation. I purchased a Ravelli stove about 7 years ago. Firstly I installed the system myself due to the horrendous reviews on the dealers install and service reviews. I would not trust unskilled kids to put holes in the roof of my new addition. Two months after startup the auger gear motor failed. Replaced it with a compatible Dayton gear motor. The next month the famous Ravelli air flow meter failed and that was a trouble shoot pain to isolate the first go around. After purchasing a new debometer, it promptly failed after a few months. After going through a few of these $70 components, a member here assisted and made repairs and upgraded the faulty components. By this time I went through 2 burn pots (Ravelli cast iron) and the ash pan desinigrated. Replaced pot and pan with stainless steel parts. Then the annual cleaning on a Ravelli is a major chore. After all this the stove now runs and heats nicely. I am a retired utility maintenance superintendent and skilled in all trades, mainly electrical and electronics. I personally would never get another pellet stove, but then I am older and getting tired of repairing all our appliances. If I had to pay someone to make all the repairs, yes it would be a money pit. I wish you success with you stove.

 

[Sh86]

Your experience with your pellet stove seems to be a not so uncommon situation. I purchased a Ravelli stove about 7 years ago. Firstly I installed the system myself due to the horrendous reviews on the dealers install and service reviews. I would not trust unskilled kids to put holes in the roof of my new addition. Two months after startup the auger gear motor failed. Replaced it with a compatible Dayton gear motor. The next month the famous Ravelli air flow meter failed and that was a trouble shoot pain to isolate the first go around. After purchasing a new debometer, it promptly failed after a few months. After going through a few of these $70 components, a member here assisted and made repairs and upgraded the faulty components. By this time I went through 2 burn pots (Ravelli cast iron) and the ash pan desinigrated. Replaced pot and pan with stainless steel parts. Then the annual cleaning on a Ravelli is a major chore. After all this the stove now runs and heats nicely. I am a retired utility maintenance superintendent and skilled in all trades, mainly electrical and electronics. I personally would never get another pellet stove, but then I am older and getting tired of repairing all our appliances. If I had to pay someone to make all the repairs, yes it would be a money pit. I wish you success with you stove.

Thinking to myself this is my last pellet stove. I originally wanted a wood burning stove but the chimney couldn’t install one where I wanted it so I opted for the pellet. There’s just too many moving parts to break so this will most likely be my last one